Children&#39;s toy, particularly children&#39;s vehicle with bucket

ABSTRACT

The children&#39;s vehicle comprises a bucket which is held on two arms arranged side by side, which are pivotably fastened about an axis to the vehicle body and can hold the bucket in a raised position, in which the arms are locked on the toy body, and can lower the bucket upon release of the lock. The axis is formed by two pins put through holes in bearing sections of the arms. In the inserted state the pins are in a non-screwed state and are held with a slight press fit, so that they can be detached easily and removed. Disassembly of the bucket with the associated arms and its renewed assembly do not require any tools.

Children's toy, particularly children's vehicle with bucket The present invention relates to a children's toy comprising a bucket held on two arms arranged side by side, which in turn are pivotably fastened about an axis to the toy body and can hold the bucket preferably in a raised position, in which the arms are locked to the toy body, and can lower the arms upon release of the lock.

The children's toy is especially a children's vehicle which is provided with pedals for driving the same or comprises an electric motor to this end. The children's toy, however, may also comprise a stationary toy body which is not provided with wheels and remains at its once assumed position during play.

The invention will now be explained with reference to the particularly preferred embodiment as a children's vehicle, the term children's vehicle also encompassing (stationary) children's toys.

Children's vehicles are known to be provided with a bucket held on two arms that are pivotably fastened to the vehicle body.

In the formerly known children's vehicles, the shaft which pivotably fastens the arms to the vehicle body is formed by a metal rod of a round cross-section which is passed through holes in the side walls of the hood and is provided at both sides with a projecting section on which the bearing section of each arm, which is provided with a hole, is mounted. The metal rod is provided on its end portions with a thread, and screw nuts with associated washers are here screwed to the rod for fastening the arms.

This accomplishes a stable pivotable fastening of the two arms holding the bucket. An unfastening operation, however, is only possible under great efforts.

Sometimes it would be desirable if the bucket with its holding arms could be disassembled rapidly and easily without the help of tools from the children's vehicle, for instance to stow away the toy in the trunk of a passenger car. Of course it is also desirable that the bucket with the two arms can be attached again just as easily to the children's vehicle.

It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a solution for the above-mentioned problem.

According to the invention this object is achieved by the features of patent claim 1.

Advantageous developments of the invention are characterized in the sub-claims.

According to the invention the axis is formed by two pins or bolts put through holes in the bearing sections of the arms. These pins can be removed rapidly and easily from the bearing sections or pressed out on inwardly projecting ends, whereby the arms with the bucket are detached from the children's vehicle and can be removed, whereby a much smaller space is needed for accommodating the separated parts. The arms with the bucket can be attached again just as rapidly by a pin being passed each time through the hole of the bearing section of an arm.

In the inserted state the pins are preferably in a non screwed state and held in a slight press fit so that they are easily detachable and removable. No tools are needed for disassembling the bucket with the associated arms and for assembling the same again.

Preferably, the pins or bolts are made from plastics and provided with a laterally projecting actuating head on which they can be removed comfortably from the mounted position and inserted again.

Furthermore, it is advantageously suggested that the toy body may have fastened thereto lugs which comprise holes which in the fastened position are in alignment with the holes of the bearing sections of the arms, the pins being put through the holes of the lugs and the bearing sections. Advantageously, the lugs are fastened to or formed on a bearing element which is fastened to the toy body.

It is suggested in more detail that for the pivotable mounting of each bearing section two parallel-arranged lugs are provided with holes between which the bearing section can be inserted. The distance between the lugs should here be dimensioned such that the bearing section is insertable substantially with a positive fit, i.e. at best with a minimal space allowing movability, between the bearing sections. In this embodiment each pin passes through the holes of the two lugs and the bearing section disposed thereinbetween and is preferably seated in a press fit in the hole of at least one of the two lugs, or also both lugs, while passing through the hole of the bearing section with a slight play, so that the pivotable movement of the arms is not impeded.

The press fit should be formed such that it is easily detachable, so that the pin on its projecting head can be removed from the mounted position. With its opposite end section the pin should project beyond the inner lug, and it is here possible that said projecting end has formed thereon a surrounding annular groove into which a fork-shaped element can snap that can be connected via a tape to the head of the pin; preferably it may be formed thereon. The fork-shaped element serves to secure the mounted or installed position of the pin.

For this purpose it is also possible to take other measures; for instance, a cap can be mounted on the projecting end of the pin.

Furthermore, it is particularly advantageously suggested that the bearing section of each arm has the shape of a circular arc in a side view and rests with the edge shaped like a circular arc substantially with a positive fit on a correspondingly shaped trough between the lugs of the bearing element. On the one hand, this accomplishes a particularly easy mounting of the arms on the children's vehicle by the two bearing sections of the arms being placed on the troughs between the lugs of the bearing element, with the holes of the lugs and the bearing sections of the arms being substantially in mutual alignment in said position, so that the pins can be inserted rapidly and easily and passed through the holes, respectively. On the other hand, this has the effect that the forces transmitted through the arms to the children's vehicle are absorbed not only by the pins, but are transmitted over a relatively large area in the shell-shaped bearing surface. This accomplishes a stable pivotable mounting of the arms of the bucket, which in the prior art is guaranteed by a massive metallic shaft.

The bearing element may have a central tub-shaped part and laterally projecting attachments formed thereon, of which the lugs project upwards. This bearing element is preferably a plastic injection-molded part, and the bucket and arms as well as the pins acting on the shaft should also be made from plastics.

Furthermore, it is suggested that the children's vehicle should comprise a hinged or unfoldable hood and that a block-shaped element on which the tub-shaped part of the bearing element is fastened, preferably screwed on, should be arranged or formed underneath said hood on the vehicle body. The laterally projecting attachments diametrically projecting to the outside from the central tub-shaped part project laterally from under the hood, so that the arms are hinged laterally next to the hood. The tub-shaped part of the bearing element is, as mentioned, preferably screwed onto the block-shaped element of the vehicle body, which is accomplished in that the hood can be pivoted upwards.

Batteries for a children's vehicle comprising an electric motor for its driving may for instance be accommodated in the tub-shaped part of the bearing element.

Hence, the invention provides a children's toy, particularly a children's vehicle, with a bucket held on arms, in the case of which the arms of the bucket are hinged to the children's vehicle by two pins that are easily insertable and removable without any tools so that the assembly can be assembled and separated without difficulty. Although only two short insertable pins or bolts, which are preferably made of plastics, are used as the shaft, a reliable transmission and thus a stable pivotable fastening is guaranteed.

It should be noted that all of the above-mentioned features, especially the optional features, can be combined with one another individually in any way.

Further details of the invention become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment and on the basis of the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a loading device with arms and of the associated bearing element and of the two pivoting pins in an exploded view;

FIG. 2 shows the arrangement according to FIG. 1 with an associated children's vehicle; and

FIG. 3 shows the arrangement according to FIG. 1 with fastened bearing element and closed hood.

FIG. 1 shows a loading device 1 which is fastened to two spaced-apart arms 2 arranged in parallel side by side. The loading shovel or bucket 1 is pivotable about an axis which is horizontal in the operative position of the children's toy and which is formed by two pivoting pins 3. The pivot mechanism of the bucket 1 is here of no interest. The two arms 2 are provided with a downwardly bent arm section 4 the lower end portion of which has formed thereon a bearing section 5 which includes a through bore or hole 6. The bearing section 5 has an outer contour 7 shaped in the form of a circular arc, which has thus the shape of a cylinder section.

A bearing element 8 contains a central tub-shaped part 9 whose end portion, which is the rear one (relative to the installed position in a children's vehicle), has laterally formed thereon two attachments 10 diametrically oriented to the outside. The attachments 10 have formed thereon two parallel lugs 11 projecting in upright position at a right angle and being spaced apart from each other such that a bearing section 5 can each time be inserted between them. The lugs 11 have through bores or holes 12 disposed in alignment with one another.

The pairs of lugs 11 have formed thereinbetween a respective support trough with a contour in the form of a circular arc or a contour of a cylinder section with a positive fit for the bearing section 5. When the two bearing sections 5 are inserted into the trough-like receiving means (not shown) between the lugs 11, the holes 11 and 6 are in alignment with one another, so that a pin 3 acting as a rotary axis can be put through the holes 11, 6, 11 at each bearing point. The shaft of the pin 3 is here seated in a slight press fit in the two holes 12, whereas the hole 6 has a slightly larger diameter, so that the arms 2 are freely pivotable.

The pins 3 have each a projecting head 13 serving as a handle, which facilitates their insertion into the mounting position and removal from the holes 11, 6. At their opposite ends the pins 3 have a surrounding groove 14 which projects beyond the inner lug 11. An approximately fork-shaped fastening element 15 can be snapped into said surrounding annular groove 14, whereby the mounting position of the pins 3 is reliably maintained. The fork-shaped element 15 is integrally fastened via a plastic tape 16 to the head 13 of the pin 3, whereby it can be detached without difficulty and cannot get lost.

The battery of an electric motor can for instance be accommodated in the receiving chamber of the tub-like part 9 of the bearing element 8.

FIG. 2 shows that the associated children's vehicle 17 includes a hood 18 which is pivotable about a rear hinge (not shown) and thus unfoldable into a vertical position. A block-shaped element 19 can be seen underneath the unfolded hood, said element being molded on the vehicle body produced in a plastic blowing process. The tub-shaped part 9 of the bearing element 8 positively fits onto the block-shaped element 19 and is fixedly screwed thereonto.

FIG. 3 shows the state in which the hood 18 is closed via the tightly screwed bearing element 8. In this state the bearing sections 5 are inserted between the lugs 11 in the way described above, so that they rest on the bearing surface formed in the manner of a circular arc, whereupon the pivoting pins 3 are then put through the holes 11, 6, 11 and secured by the fork-shaped elements 15.

Pivotable hooks 20 are fastened to the arms 2, the hooks being able to grip over a lateral shaft 21 projecting from the vehicle body so as to fix the arms 2 and thus the bucket 1 in the raised position.

It should be noted that numerous modifications of the described embodiment are within the scope of the invention. For instance, the formation of a positive bearing surface for the outer contour of the bearing sections 5 between the pairs of lugs 11 is not imperative although this is of benefit to the stability of the pivotable connection. In other children's toys the two short pivoting pins 3 can also replace a massive metal shaft which is fixed with the help of screw nuts whenever a rapid and easy assembly and disassembly of an accessory part of a children's toy or a children's vehicle is to be accomplished.

With the pivoting pins used according to the invention the projecting head 13 also serves as a stop for the mounting position.

It is within the scope of the invention that for instance an attachment, such as a bucket or the like, can only be mounted by one arm or more than two arms in the way according to the invention. Each arm may e.g. have mounted thereon two parallel-spaced bearing sections receiving a single lug of the bearing element thereinbetween. 

1-11. (canceled)
 12. A children's toy, particularly a children's vehicle (17), comprising a bucket (1) held on two arms (2) arranged side by side, which are pivotably fastened about an axis to the toy body and can hold the bucket (1) in a raised position, in which the arms (2) are locked to the toy body, and can lower the bucket upon release of the lock, wherein the axis is formed by two pins (3) and the toy body has fastened thereto lugs (11) which comprise holes (12) in alignment with holes (6) in bearing sections (5) of the arms (2), wherein the pins (3) are put through the holes (12) of the lugs (11) and the bearing sections (5), wherein further for the pivotable fastening of each bearing section (5) two parallel-arranged lugs (11) are provided with holes (12) between which the bearing section (5) is insertable, wherein the improvement comprises: that in the put-through state the pins (3) are not screwed and must be secured on their projecting end with an easily detachable fastening element, and that the edge of the bearing section (5) of each arm (2) has the shape of a circular arc and rests with the edge (7) shaped like a circular arc with a positive fit on a trough between the lugs (11) of the bearing element (8).
 13. The children's toy according to claim 12, wherein the improvement further comprises: that the lugs (11) are fastened to or formed on a bearing element (8) which is fastened to the toy body.
 14. The children's toy according to claim 12, wherein the improvement further comprises: that the bearing element (8) has a central tub-shaped part (9) and laterally projecting attachments (10) formed thereon, from which the lugs (11) are projecting upwards.
 15. The children's toy according to claim 13, wherein the improvement further comprises: that the bearing element (8) has a central tub-shaped part (9) and laterally projecting attachments (10) formed thereon, from which the lugs (11) are projecting upwards.
 16. The children's toy according to claim 12, wherein the children's toy is a children's vehicle (17), wherein the improvement further comprises: that the children's vehicle (17) comprises an unfoldable hood (18) and that a block-shaped element (19) onto which the tub-shaped part (9) of the bearing element (8) is fastened is arranged or formed underneath the hood (18).
 17. The children's toy according to claim 13, wherein the children's toy is a children's vehicle (17), wherein the improvement further comprises: that the children's vehicle (17) comprises an unfoldable hood (18) and that a block-shaped element (19) onto which the tub-shaped part (9) of the bearing element (8) is fastened is arranged or formed underneath the hood (18).
 18. The children's toy according to claim 14, wherein the children's toy is a children's vehicle (17), wherein the improvement further comprises: that the children's vehicle (17) comprises an unfoldable hood (18) and that a block-shaped element (19) onto which the tub-shaped part (9) of the bearing element (8) is fastened is arranged or formed underneath the hood (18).
 19. The children's toy according to claim 15, wherein the children's toy is a children's vehicle (17), wherein the improvement further comprises: that the children's vehicle (17) comprises an unfoldable hood (18) and that a block-shaped element (19) onto which the tub-shaped part (9) of the bearing element (8) is fastened is arranged or formed underneath the hood (18).
 20. The children's toy according to claim 14, wherein the improvement further comprises: that the laterally projecting attachments (10) of the bearing element (8) project from the hood (18).
 21. The children's toy according to claim 15, wherein the improvement further comprises: that the laterally projecting attachments (10) of the bearing element (8) project from the hood (18).
 22. The children's toy according to claim 16, wherein the improvement further comprises: that the laterally projecting attachments (10) of the bearing element (8) project from the hood (18).
 23. The children's toy according to claim 17, wherein the improvement further comprises: that the laterally projecting attachments (10) of the bearing element (8) project from the hood (18).
 24. The children's toy according to claim 18, wherein the improvement further comprises: that the laterally projecting attachments (10) of the bearing element (8) project from the hood (18).
 25. The children's toy according to claim 19, wherein the improvement further comprises: that the laterally projecting attachments (10) of the bearing element (8) project from the hood (18). 